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Two home burglaries reported on the same street are probably related, according to Madison police.

Police were called to a home in the 1900 block of Jefferson Street at 11:15 a.m. Monday when a 75-year-old woman returned home to find her front-door window pane smashed out. Officers said they believe the burglar was interrupted and left through the back door empty-handed.

Later the same day a couple called police when it returned to its home in the 1700 block of Jefferson Street to find glass broken out the front door. Police said several thousand dollars worth of jewelry were taken.

Police said the timing, proximity and nature of the crimes suggests the burglaries are related.

Officer Steven Heimsness has agreed to resign from the Madison Police Department Nov. 23, according to a release.

Police Chief Noble Wray has agreed to withdraw the charges against Heimsness filed with the City of Madison Police and Fire Commission on June 21, according to the release. It is also agreed that no additional charges will be filed against Heimsness unless he is still employed by MPD after Nov. 23.

Heimsness was on administrative leave until Sunday, according to the release.

Starting Monday, Heimsness? duty status has been changed to sick leave, and he will continue in sick leave paid status until the approval of his Duty Disability Retirement application or the end of business Nov. 23, whichever comes first, according to the release.

While fireworks may be the first thing to come to mind during the Fourth of July, Madison ordinance strictly prohibits certain kinds of pyrotechnics within its city limits.

Travis Knight, manager at Cornellier Fireworks Tent in Fitchburg, has been selling fireworks for nearly a decade and knows the rules when it comes to pyrotechnics in Madison.

"I've liked fireworks since I was a young boy, so it was just a natural fit," he said. "Now I'm older, and I still love fireworks."

Madison Fire Department spokeswoman Bernadette Galvez explained that nearly all fireworks are prohibited within city limits.

"It's illegal if it goes up in the air or has a fuse," Galvez said.

Only sparklers, snakes, caps and party poppers are allowed for use within Madison. Knight is required to sell his stock on the edge of town in neighboring suburbs, where firework regulations aren't as stringent.

Prescriptions contribute to accidental poisonings, Dane County's largest injury-related cause of death

Police, pharmacies and clinics are drawing awareness to National Prescription Take Back Day, happening Friday and Saturday at several locations.

The goal of the collection day is to reduce the number of expired, unused and unwanted medicine.

Poisoning deaths are more common than automobile deaths in Dane County. Unused prescriptions contribute to accidental poisonings, the number one cause of injury-related death, according to the Middleton Police Department.